At this week's BG Cafe, we took some time to remember a friend, acknowledge the anniversary of some important country music recording sessions, and, of course, talk a good bit about the upcoming 15th annual Podunk Bluegrass Festival. (And, of course, we still managed to play a couple of fine new BG tunes, too).
Our Connecticut Bluegrass friend was musician and all-around good guy, Matt Nozzolio, who died suddenly on August 2, 2008 at the age of 53. Matt was someone who simply loved to play music -- whether it be on the accordion in a Mexican band or on the Dobro with CT bands like Amy Gallatin & Stillwaters, Charter Oak Bluegrass, or, with his last band, the old-time country music trio, the Bristol Boys. The photos here show Matt with the Bristol Boys visiting WHUS and the "Red Rooster Party" in October 2007, and on the stage at the Buttery Brook Bluegrass Festival in July 2008, just a few weeks before Matt's sudden passing. We played a couple of tunes from the one-and-only Bristol Boys' recording in honor of Matt, and we'll continue to remember him for years to come...
The Bristol Boys were named by Matt in honor of Bristol, Tennessee & Virginia -- the Birthplace of Country Music. It was in Bristol on August 1, 1927 that A.P. Carter along with his wife, Sara, and sister-in-law, Maybelle made their very first recordings. The influence felt by the music of the Carter Family goes far beyond just country music. As you can imagine, many a BG performer has recorded a Carter Family tune, and we only scraped the surface on Sunday by playing four of those tunes. Someday, we may devote a whole show to just the music of the Carter Family...in fact, we might just spend a bit more time with Carter tunes this coming Sunday.
And let's not forget that the 15th annual Podunk Bluegrass Festival begins this Thursday, August 5th at Martin Park in East Hartford, and culminates Sunday, August 8th with the annual band competition. Over the course of four days, there will many, many hours of great music from the likes of David Davis & the Warrior River Boys, the Josh Williams Band, James Reams & the Barnstormers, the Expedition Show, Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper, Rhonda Vincent & the Rage, Next Best Thing, and on Saturday night, Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder. Jim and I both hope to see you there!
Also on the Podunk bill for 2010: the Gibson Brothers. Last week, I recorded an interview with Eric Gibson, and we played that piece on Sunday afternoon. The Gibsons are keeping a very busy schedule these days, and that's certainly not a bad thing. It's great to see the success of this band who first appeared on the New England BG festival circuit sometime in the mid-1990s. (On a personal note, I first heard of the Gibson Brothers around 1995, but didn't see them in person until the Thomas Point Beach BG Festival in 1996). They've come a LONG way since then, no doubt, and you'll have another chance to see them in CT this Saturday, August 7th at Podunk.
Finally, we got to talk to Podunk promoter and organizer, Roger Moss. Talk about being a busy man! Roger took a few moments from a crazy Podunk preparation week to tell us more about the festival, all of the great workshops and activities for the kids, and he even offered a free one-day pass to a lucky caller. Thanks to Roger and to all of the hardworking Podunk Festival Board.
We hope to see you this weekend at Podunk. While Jim will be busy with his Stage Captain duties, I'll be helping our old WHUS friend, Myrna Riquier, at the Podunk workshop area. Stop by to say hello -- we just may have some WHUS goodies for you...
As always, thanks for listening, and we'll be on the air with you again this coming Sunday...
Amy
Requests are RED.
- Katy Hill / Del McCoury Band / RockyGrass / Blue Planet
- No More To Be Lonesome / Gillis Brothers / Heart & Soul / Copper Creek
- Weather's Got To Change / Rich In Tradition / Black Mountain Special / Mountain Roads Recordings
- Riding On The Clinchfield / James Alan Shelton / Where I'm Bound / Sheltone Records
- Sad And Blue / BearTracks / Together 'Til The End / AMT Records
- Silvertown Rag / Bristol Boys / All Aboard With The Bristol Boys / Self-Produced
- I'm Waiting To Hear You Call Me Darling / Hagar's Mountain Boys / Forever Yours / Self-Produced
- What Was I Supposed To Do / Lynn Morris Band / Lynn Morris Band / Rounder
- Missile Ride / Reno & Smiley / Early Years, 1951-1959 / Gusto
- Railroad Boomer / Bristol Boys / All Aboard With The Bristol Boys / Self-Produced
- Down In A Mine / Volume Five / Down In A Cell / Mountain Fever Records
- Time To Be Movin' On / Blue Moon Rising / Fresh Cuts & Key Tracks, v.8 / Rural Rhythm
- Looking For A Sign / No One You Know /
/ Mountain Fever Records - There Is A Time / Rodney Dillard / Fresh Cuts & Key Tracks, v.8 / Rural Rhythm
- Bury Me Under The Weeping Willow / Carter Family / Anchored In Love, 1927-1928 / Rounder
- Just Another Broken Heart / Big Country Bluegrass / Open For Business / Mountain Roads Recordings
- I Wonder How The Old Folks Are At Home / Mac Wiseman / Bluegrass, 1971 / Rural Rhythm
- Wildwood Flower / Keith Whitley & Ricky Skaggs / Second Generation / Rebel
- interview with Eric Gibson of the Gibson Brothers
- We'll Stay Here / Gibson Brothers / Another Night Of Waiting / Hay Holler
- Loose Talk / Gibson Brothers / Another Night Of Waiting / Hay Holler
- interview with Roger Moss of the Podunk Bluegrass Festival
- It's Mighty Dark To Travel / Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder / Honoring The Fathers Of Bluegrass--Tribute To 1946 & 1947 / Skaggs Family
- Lonesome Feeling / Josh Williams / Down Home / Pinecastle
- Coal Dust In My Soul / James Reams & the Barnstormers / Barnstormin' / Copper Creek
- I'm Ridin' This Train / Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper / Leavin' Town / Rounder
- Hit Parade Of Love / Rhonda Vincent / Good Thing Going / Rounder
- Cold & Lonesome / Earl Brothers / Earl Brothers / Self-Produced
- Roustabout / Southern Rail / On The Road From Appomattox / Railway Records
- This World Is Not My Home / Ricky Skaggs / Ricky Skaggs Solo: Songs My Dad Loved / Skaggs Family
- Goin' Up / Blackstone Valley Bluegrass / Debut / Appleland Records
- Lay My Burdens Down / Warrior River Boys / New Beginnings / Rounder
- Meet Me Over On The Other Side / Darin Aldridge & Brooke Justice / I'll Go With You / Pinecastle
- Goodbye / J.D. Crowe, Doyle Lawson, Paul Williams / Old Friends Get Together / Mountain Home
- Happy On My Way / Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys / Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, 1954-1957 / JSP Records
- I'm On A Journey / Bear Bridge Band / One More Ride / Open Road
- On The Wings Of Angels / Spinney Brothers / Side By Side / Self-Produced
- Ring The Bell / Gibson Brothers / Ring The Bell / Compass Records
- Black Mountain Blues / Johnson Mountain Boys / Requests / Rounder
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